A DISUSED Derby pub that was once popular with football fans visiting the old Baseball Ground could be transformed into two takeaways.

The Beer Barrel has been closed for four years but developer Kelpoint Ltd wants to turn it into food outlets.

Plans for the project have been lodged with Derby City Council and, according to the applicant, talks are being held with a national pizza chain interested in setting up a franchise.

Julian Tubbs, of the Derby branch of the Campaign for Real Ale, said the demise of the Osmaston Road pub was down to Derby County's move to Pride Park.

He said: "It is sad to see any pub go but the Beer Barrel has been closed for a number of years now.

"Like a number of pubs in that area, the decline hit when Derby County moved to Pride Park and the business just dried up almost overnight.

"I remember going in there one time after the Rams had moved and there was very little trade in there.

"If it is changed to a takeaway, that will be another pub gone from that area, which is sad but not wholly unexpected."

The Beer Barrel had been a pub since 1903 and became a popular destination for away fans going to Rams matches at their former home, the Baseball Ground.

Since it closed, the building has been targeted by vandals with a series of break-ins over the past couple of years.

If the plans are approved, the takeaways would be open from 10am to 1am, seven days a week.

Councillor Fareed Hussain, who represents Arboretum Ward, said takeaways would be more likely to succeed than another pub.

He said: "Because the area is mainly Muslim, the probability of it now succeeding as a pub would be pretty slim. People would need to come to drink there from outside the area, which I don't think is that likely."

Agent Philip Shepherd, acting on behalf of Kelpoint Ltd, refused to comment on the plans.

In a statement prepared for the council, the applicant stated that the pub "no longer fulfils the local population's needs".

It also said the proposed takeaways "would cause no greater disturbance to local residents and, in fact, would provide betterment in terms of noise and traffic levels, due to a reduction in the potential for late-night congregation of customers, particularly after leaving a public house".